Interprogram communication messaging for program synchronization

Abstract

An interprogram communication system including a product engine, a program interface, and a visibility engine configured to employ interprogram communication messaging with each other. The product engine sends an information request that identifies an application feature to the visibility engine via the program interface. The visibility engine identifies a feature file associated with the application feature and identifies test statuses associated with the identified feature file. The visibility engine combines the test statuses with feature file information associated with the feature file to generate a release snapshot. The visibility program sends the release snapshot to the product engine via the program interface. The product engine generates a summary that comprises the test statuses and at least a portion of the feature file information.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An interprogram communication system comprising:
 a memory operable to store one or more test statuses and feature file information; 
 a product engine implemented by a processor operably coupled to the memory, and configured to:
 send an information request that identifies an application feature to a visibility engine via a program interface; 
 receive a release snapshot that comprises one or more test statuses and feature file information associated with a feature file in response to sending the information request; 
 generate a summary that comprises the one or more test statuses and at least a portion of the feature file information; and 
 present the one or more test statuses and at least a portion of the feature file information on a graphical user interface; 
 
 the program interface implemented by the processor operably coupled to the memory, and configured to:
 send the information request to the visibility engine; and 
 send the release snapshot to the release snapshot to the product engine; and 
 
 the visibility engine implemented by the processor operably coupled to the memory, and configured to:
 identify the feature file associated with the application feature based on the information request, wherein a workflow status associated with the feature file is in a signed state; 
 identify one or more test statuses associated with the feature file; 
 combine the one or more test statuses with feature file information associated with the feature file to generate the release snapshot; and 
 send the release snapshot to the product engine via the program interface. 
 
 
     
     
       2. An interprogram communication method comprising:
 sending, by a product engine implemented by a processor, an information request that identifies an application feature to a visibility engine via a program interface implemented by the processor, wherein the application feature is a function performed by an application; 
 identifying, by the visibility engine, a feature file associated with the application feature based on the information request, wherein a workflow status associated with the feature file is in a signed state; 
 identifying, by the visibility engine, one or more test statuses associated with the feature file; 
 combining, by the visibility engine, the one or more test statuses with feature file information associated with the feature file to generate a release snapshot; 
 sending, by the visibility engine, the release snapshot to the product engine via the program interface; 
 receiving, by the product engine, the release snapshot that comprises the one or more test statuses and the feature file information associated with the feature file; and 
 generating, by the product engine, a summary that comprises the one or more test statuses and at least a portion of the feature file information on a graphical user interface. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising
 presenting, by the product engine, the one or more test statuses and at least a portion of the feature file information on a graphical user interface. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the feature file information comprises a feature code test associated with the feature file. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the feature file information comprises a workflow status associated with the feature file. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the feature file associated with the application feature comprises selecting the most recent version of the feature file in a released state. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the feature file associated with the application feature comprises determining whether the application feature is in a released state is based on an application status associated with the application feature. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 2 , wherein combining the one or more test statuses with feature file information associated with the feature file comprising mapping the one or more test statuses to corresponding feature code tests. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the feature file information comprises temporal information corresponding with when a workflow status of the feature file transitioned to a signed state. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the feature file associated with the application feature comprises determining a workflow status of the application feature is in a signed state. 
     
     
       11. An interprogram communication system comprising:
 a memory operable to store one or more test statuses and feature file information; 
 a product engine implemented by a processor operably coupled to the memory, and configured to:
 send an information request that identifies an application feature to a visibility engine via a program interface, wherein the application feature is a function performed by an application; 
 receive a release snapshot that comprises one or more test statuses and feature file information associated with a feature file from the visibility engine in response to sending the information request; 
 generate a summary that comprises the one or more test statuses and at least a portion of the feature file information; 
 
 the program interface implemented by the processor operably coupled to the memory, and configured to:
 send the information request to the visibility engine; and 
 send the release snapshot to the product engine; and 
 
 the visibility engine implemented by the processor operably coupled to the memory, and configured to:
 identify the feature file associated with the application feature based on the information request, wherein a workflow status associated with the feature file is in a signed state; 
 identify one or more test statuses associated with the feature file; 
 combine the one or more test statuses with feature file information associated with the feature file to generate the release snapshot; and 
 send the release snapshot to the product engine via the program interface. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the product engine is configured to present the one or more test statuses and at least a portion of the feature file information on a graphical user interface. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the feature file information comprises a feature code test associated with the feature file. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the feature file information comprises a workflow status associated with the feature file. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein identifying the feature file associated with the application feature comprises selecting the most recent version of the feature file in a released state. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 11 , wherein identifying the feature file associated with the application feature comprises determining whether the application feature is in a released state based on an application status associated with the application feature. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 11 , wherein combining the one or more test statuses with feature file information associated with the feature file comprising mapping the one or more test statuses to corresponding feature code tests. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the feature file information comprises temporal information corresponding with when a workflow status of the feature file transitioned to a signed state. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 11 , wherein identifying the feature file associated with the application feature comprises determining a workflow status of the feature file is in a signed state. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the feature file information comprises a list of changes associated with the feature file.